So-called staple-in awning frames, across which canvas or other cloth material is stretched to form an awning, have become popular in recent years. In general, a staple-in awning frame is fabricated with metal ribs that form the skeleton of the awning. At least some of the ribs, which generally are square or rectangular in shape, have a slot along their outside edges and a staple deck recessed within the slot. When a cloth material is stretched over the frame, it is tucked into the slots of the frame ribs and staples are driven through the cloth and through the staple deck to secure the material to the ribs. Once the cloth material is attached in this way, lengths of plastic or rubberized filler strips are snapped into the slots to hide the staples, cover the slots, and form an aesthetically pleasing appearance. This method of fabricating cloth awnings has proven superior to old tie-on and other methods.
In the past, awning frame members for staple-in awnings generally have been extruded from aluminum with the body, slot, and staple deck of the frame member being extruded as a unitary piece of extruded aluminum. While such extrusions have been successful, aluminum extrusion generally is an expensive and maintenance intensive manufacturing process. Furthermore, the softness of aluminum can lead to deformation and even collapse of the frame members in some cases, particularly where they are bent into an arc for use in rounded awning designs. Finally, the welding of aluminum requires special helium arc welding equipment and special skill, which is undesirable for some awning manufacturers. Thus, a need exists for an improved staple-in awning frame member that is less expensive to manufacture, less prone to collapse and deformation when bent, easier to weld and otherwise work with when building an awning frame, and generally improved over prior art extruded aluminum frame members. It is to the provision of such an awning frame member and to a methodology for its fabrication using roll forming techniques that the present invention is primarily directed.